Bowman out? No way in NFL debut

Early in the fourth quarter, the press box announcer informed the media that Zack Bowman was "out" for the remainder of the game with a biceps injury.

A few minutes later, the Bears rookie cornerback was upgraded to "probable."

Then, with the Bears protecting a late lead and yet another one of their DBs suddenly sidelined, guess who was playing cornerback?

Yep, No. 35, Bowman.

With his right arm heavily taped, he had to tough it up and try to help prevent another fourth-quarter collapse by the Bears' defense.

Zack Bowman: He runs fast and, apparently, heals fast.

News of him being "out" was news to him.

"I was back in there, so obviously I wasn't out," Bowman said with a smile.

Out of the Bears lineup was what Bowman was the first six games this season. But with starting cornerbacks Charles Tillman and Nathan Vasher, as well as nickel back Danieal Manning all inactive because of injury, Bowman was promoted to the active roster from the practice squad early in the week.

He did more than make his NFL debut in the Bears' 48-41 win over Minnesota at Soldier Field.

He scored a touchdown when he recovered a muffed Vikings punt return in the end zone in the second quarter, and he sealed Minnesota's fate with a late interception, the fourth pick of the day by the Bears' patched-up secondary.

"It was a crazy game," Bowman said. "But this week I actually took it like any other week. I just got myself ready to play. Today I had an opportunity to go out there and make plays. That's what I had to do."

That's what the 2008 fifth-round pick out of Nebraska did. Mind you, the Bears cut him after the preseason, before signing him to the practice squad.

"Zack's a good player," said strong safety Kevin Payne, who recorded his team-leading third interception and first sack. "We have a lot of confidence in him. Every guy that steps on the field the coach has confidence in him. They're here for a reason. Zack stepped in and he did a great job."

"Zack has excellent speed, good size and is a smart guy," coach Lovie Smith said. "We were just hoping that he would come through if he was put in that situation."

While Vikings quarterback Gus Frerotte threw for 298 yards, his 4 picks left him with a 62.3 passer rating. In addition to Bowman, fellow cornerbacks Trumaine McBride and Corey Graham also notched their first NFL interceptions.

"We just found a way to make plays," said Graham, who suffered a head injury late in the game, necessitating Bowman to get back on the field. "It doesn't matter who's out there, the next guy's got to come out, step up and make plays out there."

"You ask them to step up when their number's called," Smith said. "Zack ... you look at the play of Trumaine McBride, Corey Graham. All of those guys really stepped up and helped our team win."

Defensive backs coach Steven Wilks knew they would, apparently.

"It's just like Coach Wilks told us last night," Bowman said. "He was like, 'This game's going to come down to us. Watch us win it.' That's what we did."